About me
My name is Dariel, and I am Puerto Rican-born and Orlando-raised. Right now, I am attending The University of Chicago as an Odyssey Scholar, double majoring in Public Policy and Data Science. Additionally, I am a part of the selective Public Policy Leaders Program, a three-year program for students who are ambitious about pursuing careers in policy.
Throughout my career thus far, I have made a name for myself as a passionate advocate. I have been featured and published in numerous publications, including the Miami Herald and The Fulcrum, for my work on a historic ballot initiative to open the primaries in Florida in 2020. I am also the primary subject of a short-length documentary called "The Young Vote," which highlights my dedication to empowering young people to make their voices heard in the political process.
Closer to home, I worked as the Communications Director for Maria for School Board, a student-led grassroots campaign that successfully elected the only Latina and first LGBTQ+ member to the Orange County School Board. Prior to studying at The University of Chicago, I graduated with honors from Valencia College with an Associate's Degree at the same time I graduated from high school.
In the skies, I have found myself amazed by the human innovation of aviation. In high school I became a licensed Part 107 remote pilot, a rigorous certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Authority to denote those with fundamental knowledge of laws around new unmanned aircraft technology. Because of this interest, I started and current am President of UChicago Transit Enthusiasts, the first of it's kind at the university.